We never in our wildest nightmares expected this. We were meant to send out a friendly newsletter on February 21st announcing the venue and date of our 2nd NomadMania awards and many more projects. As things became worse, we decided to wait a few days for the newsletter; eventually we cancelled it altogether. It has been incredibly hard for our team to concentrate in light of the sudden declaration of war on Ukraine, one of our favourite countries with which every member of our core team has, as if by chance, a significant link. We need to continue working, but seem to be doing so in a constant haze.
NomadMania has never intended to be a political project. We have always stayed clear of politics, trying to see the world through the eyes of the traveller - if an area was under a different administration (for example Somaliland or Transnistria), we would note this without any suggestion that we accept it; however, our community is meant for the traveller and as such we always felt that neutrality is the best policy and we wouldn't get into arguments about sovereignty with anybody.
This neutrality is now to be forever broken, however. We cannot stay idle as our friends, and some of our closest collaborators, spend the night in bunkers in fear for their lives and their loved ones. We therefore absolutely condemn the unprovoked aggression of the Russian Federation and Belarus against Ukraine in the strongest possible words and are now taking whatever actions we can to demonstrate this.
We thought of banning all members from the aggressor countries from our community; in fact one of our team adamantly insisted on this. However, we realise that this is a war dictated by the current government and that not everyone - or perhaps not anyone - supports this, so it would be somewhat unfair to do so. However, we are taking a number of measures that are unprecedented and that we never believed we would take as we feel they are the least we can do to support our Ukrainian community. These will be valid as of today, March 2nd, 2022, unless otherwise noted, and until the territorial integrity of Ukraine is restored in a democratic way acceptable to the Ukrainian people.
Therefore, we are taking the following steps:
1. Modifying our logo to include the colours of the Ukrainian flag.
2. Not participating in any events which include any passport holders from the Russian Federation and Belarus.
3. Banning all passport holders of the Russian Federation and Belarus from participating in any NomadMania events, including regional gatherings and conferences. This is a blanket ban regardless of beliefs about the ongoing war.
4. Though we accept that there are a number of 'unsavoury' regimes in the world whose national symbols may be offensive to many, we believe that now a line has been crossed very firmly. We are therefore deleting the presence of the primary national symbols of the Russian Federation and Belarus, in other words their flags, from our website. We will replace this with a white flag for profiles and the much less recognisable regional divisional flags for the Russian Federation, while for Belarus we will restore the flag used from 1991-1995. In both cases we do this primarily so that our Ukrainian community do not have to witness these symbols at all when they visit the NomadMania website though we realise they now don't have the luxury to browse our content as they fight for their lives.
5. We encourage anybody who, for whatever reason, supports or even partially justifies this war to please delete your profile from our community - you are simply not welcome. We have never been a project concerned with quantity of members - we have been deleting empty or inactive profiles for more than a year - and we will continue to operate with our values of tolerance and respect which we consider have been irrevocably broken by the unacceptable actions of the Russian Federation and Belarus. Our values of tolerance do not include tolerating this war, this much is more than clear.
6. We will delete all profiles of NomadMania members who we find out have travelled to the Russian Federation, Belarus and the so-called Donetsk and Luhansk republics or any other occupied territory of Ukraine as of March 7, 2022. We firmly believe that this is not the time to travel to these places and if you choose to, you are indirectly supporting their criminal regimes; hopefully in the future better days will come and we will all be able to experience the rich Russian and Belorussian cultures once again in a peaceful way. For now however, we will give no warning or justification for the deletion of visitors to these places and will not restore membership at any stage in the future. The citizens of these areas are exempt from this given that sadly they have no choice but to be citizens of those pariah entities.
7. We will be creating a button upon entrance to the NomadMania website with which you can either publicly or privately express your support for Ukraine and ending the war; those doing so publicly will have a slightly changed avatar with the Ukrainian colours; we urge members residing in the Russian Federation and Belarus to choose the private option. We also reserve the right to contact any of our members from the Russian Federation and Belarus to ensure their opinions are in line with NomadMania values.
8. As you may remember, last year NomadMania initiated its first Scholarships for which 8 countries that have been subject to conflict in the recent past were eligible, including Ukraine. We now have 6 scholarship holders in different areas of Ukraine who are waiting to travel on their first ever trip abroad. When it becomes possible, we promise them the most amazing experience of their lives.
One of our scholarship holders, Yevhen, wrote a story last week, with his views of this situation. We will use this opportunity to share his story with you here - click to read.
9. We also announce that our future Scholarships will be exclusively for nationals of Ukraine and that we will be offering annual scholarships to Ukrainian students as of when this becomes possible.
10. Moreover, once it becomes feasible and safe, every annual NomadMania award ceremony for at least 5 years will be held in a different place of Ukraine, in order to support regional development and promote positive international exposure of the country.
11. Finally, all donations we receive from you for NomadMania will be used for the development of our scholarships or to help our Ukrainian friends, as needed. Apart from us, we strongly recommend you send donations either to our dear friend and member who also directed our 1st NomadMania award ceremony in November, Orest Zub directly (click here) or to any organisation helping the Ukrainian people. Our 2nd NomadMania awards are contingent on the availability of Orest and we will under no circumstances hold an event without him.
We reserve the right to take additional measures as needed. Ultimately we are a free-of-charge organisation and we have the right to withhold membership if we feel the need to do so.
Finally, and we know this is not in the least bit important - we are absolutely shocked at the cynicism of some people who from the first day of the war asked us if NomadMania would 'recognise' the so-called puppet states of Donetsk and Luhansk. The clear answer to this, given that we have now broken our neutrality, is absolutely not. We will not be altering anything in the current division of Ukraine for the foreseeable future, at the very least not until peace has been restored.
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New on NomadMania - Achievements, Triumphs and more |
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We always try to increase what we offer our community even in the hardest of times. Further bigger improvements are coming, but for now we have expanded the categories for which you get Triumphs and Achievements. For example, certain individual Series have been added to triumphs, such as Urban Legends, World Capitals, World cities and popular towns and World of Nature. We have also extended the Triumph milestones for M@P, where now you will also get credit for passing 30 regions, as well as for World Heritage Sites, where you will now get credit for 50 sites visited as well.
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We have also updated our achievements badges categories, which now includes badges per age groups for NomadMania regions, as well as per age groups and per country for Series listings.
So don't forget to update all your scores everywhere and pass some Triumphs milestones and get new achievement badges - the latter are updated every 3 months.
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Which Country Do You HATE? | The Biggest Travellers | NomadMania |
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Watch our new Video on YouTube!
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Last time we brought you opinion of the biggest travellers about the countries they LOVE, but now it's time to ask them the oposite. Check out Which country do they HATE? Note that this video was filmed in September 2021.
P.S. Don't forget that following our channel and giving thumbs up to our video makes it easier for you to catch our future content and gives us the much needed wind in the back. Thank you!
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A star of our community |
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Our star of this newsletter could be none other than our dear friend Orest from the western Ukrainian town of Lviv. Orest is one of the biggest friends of NomadMania, hosting a NomadMania Ukraine Conference in his city in September 2019, which brought together travellers from the whole country and beyond in a great 2-day event. Orest was also the largely behind-the-scenes director of our incredibly successful NomadMania awards which were held online on November 28, 2021.
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The photos here show Orest in the past week in his city of Lviv, sharing images of his life which has suddenly turned around, like all of his fellow Ukrainians. For now, he is safe, and as we mentioned before, he is now reporting daily about the situation in his country with Youtube videos. His blog, in Ukrainian (a language considerably different to Russian, let us stress), gives a background to all his efforts in the past decade to become an entrepreneurial global traveller who is also helping his country develop.
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It goes without saying that our thoughts are with Orest, as they are with the rest of Ukraine, all the time, and we hope that he and all his loved ones will keep safe and that they will soon be able to return to a life of normality.
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The town of Lviv, a beautiful UNESCO World Heritage site, features fabulous architecture that goes back to its time in the Austro-Hungarian empire and, as soon as it is safe, we hope to welcome a huge NomadMania meeting there again.
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M@P regions that you may not know |
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The Democratic Republic of Congo is the second largest country in Africa (second to Algeria only by a few square miles) and is a real treasure in terms of cultures, landscapes and peoples - it is absolutely not one-dimensional at all. What many people don't perhaps realise is that this Central African country actually does have a small coastline, in between Angola proper and the Angolan exclave of Cabinda. This coastal area, represented by the small town of Muanda (pop. 50,000) is a region on our M@P list. There is more to see here than initially meets the eye, with lovely beaches, a fantastic area with mangroves and, guess what - even a luxury hotel!
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The lush mangrove forest which leads to the open ocean and Angola on the other side.
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A central area of Muanda and its Notre Dame church.
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Fishing is one of the main activities in the area.
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Pirogues with light sails ply the sea.
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Stunning sunsets and a long sandy beach make this an unlikely resort-like destination!
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The Interview - Wassim Allache |
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Wassim Allache is one of the biggest travellers we know from Algeria, which is one of the countries in the Low Passport Index ranking - in fact, the listing was Wassim's idea. The owner of Algeria Tours 16, in other words 'your man in Algeria', fluent in a number of languages including Chinese, he talks to us about Algeria and his travels.
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Corcovado, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 2011 |
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Algerian flag in Machu Picchu |
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Wassim, tell us something about your early years and how your interest in travel developed.
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I was born and raised in Algiers, capital city of Algeria. I have always been interested in world maps , countries capitals and geography in general. I remember that one of my neighbours used to be a diplomat and the very first gift I got from him was from his trip to Syria in the mid 90s. Adding to the fact that my mother is a Spanish language teacher, naturally my two biggest hobbies are languages and travels and it is such a good combination, because for me languages really help me to have a better approach and understanding of the country that am visiting.
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You speak a number of languages fluently, including Chinese! How so? How has all this knowledge affected your life?
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I was born basically speaking two languages, Algerian Arabic and French. I learned English and Spanish at school. Then on my freshman year at university I had a sort of vision and realised that since I was majoring in translation and linguistics and so were thousands of other students, I needed to stand out from the mass. So i decided to take up a new challenge with learning Chinese Mandarin.
Everyone has been telling me it was impossible to learn so I had to do it just to prove them wrong and I made it, self-taught, which really required a lot of dedication and hard work. At the same time I was learning Portuguese by myself too, making a good use of my commute time to the University. I would listen to Chinese podcasts on the way to University in the morning and Portuguese on the way back home...
Honestly speaking, these two languages have been a major life changer for me because I managed to have a part time job in a multinational company when i was barely a sophomore. I had the opportunity to represent them in different trade shows and exhibitions from Brazil to Kenya, passing by UAE.
When I graduated from University, although I was barely attending any classes, I ended up unexpectedly ranking first in my University. Because of that and thanks to my language skills, I had a great job offer from a company in China where I worked for many years, which enabled me to see so many more countries.
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With Kenyan locals playing music in the market |
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How do you believe being Algerian has affected who you are? And how do you think people perceive Algeria if they haven't visited it?
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It has affected me in a positive way. Very few Algerian travellers are found in remote countries.
Fun fact, Chinese language helped me to get a free upgrade on my very first flight to China back in 2010. During the flight, the flight attendant was having a hard time communicating with a Chinese passenger who got caught smoking in the lavatories, so I helped with the translation and a few hours later, the captain asked to see me. I was in total panic (that was my very first flight to a far destination). He gave me a very warm welcome in the cockpit and put his hat on my head, let me have a souvenir picture with him and then he asked the flight attendant to upgrade me. An amazing memory that I will never forget.
Once, I was trying to use toilets in Italy in a kebab shop managed by an Indian guy. He would charge me 2 euros to use the bathroom for non customers, but I managed to recall a few life saving words in Hindi and the door was opened for free. The conclusion - languages can open all sort of doors!
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At Taj Mahal 12/12/2012- last date combination possible |
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You are the owner of Algeria Tours 16. Tell us a bit about the company, the reasons you developed it, the challenges and rewards of it.
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The more I traveled the more I realised that people didn't know much about my country. They would know about neighbouring countries but not Algeria.
Back in 2016 while being in line to check-in to my flight to Easter Island, I met a group of 15 Chinese tourists who I became friends with very quickly. They suggested I tag along their trip since they had a free seat on their SUV and would offer me free meals and I just had to speak Spanish in return.
I invited them to visit me in Algeria and all 15 of them made it and that is when I decided to set up my own tour company.
The main purpose is to really give the most accurate image of my country to the world and so far we are doing well. We rank first on Tripadvisor but this wasn't an easy process. We had to establish a reliable network, connections and a way to help foreign visitors get their visas with less delays.
The biggest reward is when people start their visit to Algeria with many questions, doubts or sometimes fears. They come as visitors but then they leave as friends, with plans to come back again.
Financials have never been the drive for me to have this business. I even offer free tours sometimes because I really genuinely enjoy what I do. I traveled as a businessman and as a backpacker as well, so I know what various people are looking for and am happy to provide them with whatever makes them happy.
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Scuba diving in Easter island |
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Is there a general 'profile' of visitor who comes to Algeria? What do they have in common?
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Curiosity is the right word I would say. They all have this in common - not knowing much about the country, since there are very few guide books and many of them are not updated.
Most of the visitors are looking for an authentic experience in a country that doesn't suffer yet from massive tourism. Basically, most of them are looking for a unique trip, off the beaten track.
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Ahaggar mountain, Tamanrasset, Algeria |
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And what are common reactions of people once they have travelled in Algeria?
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I have many people saying that Algeria is one of the most misunderstood countries. Other say that their trip really changed their vision about the country.
And it did happen that a few of them booked flights to return, way before they left the country, so this really made me feel grateful.
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Now give us some of the gems of your mother country that not many people know about - the secret places that not even most of your visitors see.
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Unfortunately, many people only come to visit the north of Algeria and don't venture more into the inner cities and the south. Algeria is such a bio diverse country that going to Ghardaia might give you the impression that you have landed in another country or era.
Exploring Djanet Tadrart rouge area with some rock art painting that go back to 8000AD will really make you wonder how life was back then, especially because of the fact that you no longer have phone coverage. So you will really disconnect from the outer world and connect with your inner self and the amazing vast Sahara, nature and even beaches that are dazzling in Jijel region.
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In Djanet with a road sign leading either to Libya or Niger |
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My fourth visit to the Great wall of China |
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Turning to travel, you have visited more than 60 countries yourself and you are a bit of an expert in China. Tell us a few of your China stories that remain in your memory.
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I am traveling on an Algerian passport which means I need a visa almost for every single country and yet I managed to visit around 65 countries across the world. It took me about 3 years to manage to get a visa to Australia, but it felt really good once the visa was issued, a real achievement on its own.
I went to China over 21 times and each time I go there I feel like home. I have this special attachment to the country. In my free time I am always wandering around markets, parks, connecting with local old people playing table tennis or fruit vendors with whom I became a friend. And each time I go, they recognise me and we catch up over a cup of a tea or a meal.
I visited so many remote villages where they never saw a foreigner before and when they met up with me, some kids would greet me in English saying 'Hello'. You can just imagine their faces the moment I greet them back in Chinese - either shocked, or beaming with happiness. It breaks the ice immediately and you get crowds very quickly around you, curious about this foreigner who doesn't look like them and yet speaks their language.
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Visiting an elementary school in China ... |
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With Chinese locals in Xi an, China |
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And of the other countries, which ones have impressed you, positively or negatively and why?
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It is always difficult to choose favourite countries, but usually if I really have to, it is mostly based on my interaction with local people.
I would say top 1 for me is Peru where I went to Cusco from Lima on a 24 hours bus ride and didn't feel bored a single moment. People there are really nice, sharing food, sweets, playing guitar. A huge lesson in humanity.
The top 2 is a tie between Vietnam and Mexico, for the people as well. I remember visiting that small town of Da Nang. As I was walking by a restaurant, two gentlemen sitting there invited me to share their meal, although we didn't speak any language in common. It was just smiles, handshakes and laughs.
Before i flew to HCM, I used one passenger's phone to call my friend in order to let her know my flight was delayed. So one day later walking in the streets of Ho Chi Minh city, my friend receives a call from the same number. It was the same guy calling to check if I made it safe and sound. How can you beat this level of care and consideration?
In Mexico I've been blessed to meet all of the Mexican friends I met on different travels across Europe and online as well. They all came to meet and treat me with local food and showing me around.
One of them, named David, around his mid 60s, took a night bus just to meet me and went back the same day. He was really my highlight of that trip. It was also to congratulate me with a gift for the birth of my daughter and I've kept being in touch until today with him.
Top 3 at last, but not least, is Japan. I don't think Japan qualifies to be just a country but a total different planet. People there, although shy and not speaking English, always helped me in the streets, metro, absolutely everywhere I needed any sort of help.
I was lucky to meet with one Japanese friend in Osaka who I met online. She invited my wife and me to her place, to meet her son and husband. We bonded so well that she also took us to her parents' small restaurant where they had a special halal dinner for us, since we are muslim. Such a nice consideration, very rarely found anywhere. My friend also invited her cousins and uncles to this dinner so it really felt like a big family reunion.
The following day, her mom invited us again for lunch and for a cooking class along with Kanji writing class. No words to describe our happiness back then and we had a hard time to say goodbye.
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Wearing Japanese traditional clothing in Kyoto |
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You have a family; do you travel with them or mostly alone, and does that impact your travel style?
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I did many solo trips for work or backpacking to remote areas, but I do also enjoy family travels to nice destinations as well. It is a good balance, I believe, two different traveling styles and two different perspectives and challenges.
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How has covid affected your work and your travels?
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Well, basically Covid really changed my life 180 degrees. No corporate work, no tourism, no travels, been stuck for over two years, so instead of going straight to depression I decided to volunteer in my town by giving free English classes to a dozen of people, age range from 12 to 45 years and it was a great way to contribute to society. Some of them could have better job opportunities and offers in the near future.
Travel wise I did more trips within Algeria with my wife and daughter and other times with some friends too. So it was just amazing to be able to see and explore more of the largest country of Africa.
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Feeding a giraffe in Kenya |
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And what are your plans for the rest of the year, travelwise and workwise?
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The recent NomadMania expedition to Azerbaijan was my first trip during the two years of Covid and I also visited the world expo in Dubai.
I am also thinking of following up closely with countries in South America and Europe to see which ones are re-opening and might take it from there to plan a new adventure again.
Workwise, always trying to get Algeria well-known on the international stage, but always trying to organise tours and trips with a personal touch.
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Finally our signature question - if you could invite any 4 people to dinner, from any period in history, who would you invite and why?
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I would definitely invite my parents, Kobe Bryant, Nicolas Hulot and Martin Luther King. These are the people I look up to.
My parents for raising me and helping me become the person that I am today.
My love for basketball started with MJ but boomed mostly during KB era and had the chance to see him play in L.A.
Nicolas Hulot has been to so many countries and remote places on Earth and he was my inspiration to the travel world.
And at last, but not least, Martin Luther King with his speech of I have a dream, made me believe that everything is possible if you put the hard work and faith in it.
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With Brian Shaw, Lakers, NBA |
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DMZ line from South Korea side |
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Did you like reading this? |
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We thank Wassim for sharing his personal photos with us here at NomadMania.
We only send two emails a month and every time we share new features and NomadMania plans for the future. Be the first to find out what's happening next.
Our next issue will be out on March 21st with further improvements to our features...
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